Collapsible ice bunker



June 6,- 1939. G. P. TORBURN COLLAPSIBLE ICE BUNKER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1938 I IIIIIIII/ INVENTOR.

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A'ITORNEYS June 6, 1939. s. P. TORBURN 2,160,993 X COLLAPSIBLE ICE BUNKER Filed April 2, 1938 e Sheets-Sheet 2 V OW] ATTORNEYS June 6, 1939. G. P. TORBURN I COLLAPSIBLE ICE BUNKER Filed April 2, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 N 8 3; Pr p w n w G fl .June 6, 1939. ca. P. TORBURN 2,160,993

' COLLAPSIBLE ICE BUNKER v Filed April 2, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 Ff. 05; i 146 INVENTOR. Gwr/ax P Twaswe/v.

ATTORNEYS June 6, 1939.

G. P. TORBURN COLLAPSIBLE ICE BUNKER Filed April 2, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVE'NTOR Qua-TAM F 752502 N.

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I BM?! mm? ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1939' PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE ICE BUNKER Gustav P. Torburn, Oakland, Calif., assignor of one-half to Loyd E. Cartmill, Palo Alto, Calif.

Application Apr. 2, 1938, Serial No. 199,650

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerator cars, and more particularly to collapsible ice bunkers therefor, which permit the car to be used either for standard refrigeration service 5 with the ice'contained in bunkers at the ends of the car, or for so-called top icing service, in which chipped or cracked ice is placed among and on top of the lading, or for non-refrigerated freight service.

10 services, the ice bunkers are collapsed or folded in such a manner that the entire interior of the car can be used for lading.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a collapsible ice bunker whose walls,

5 when collapsed, are flush with and form extensions of, the lining of the car, to prevent waste of space and to facilitateuloading. Another object is to use portions of the bunker lining as locked ventilating gates under the ice hatches,

2 to prevent pilfering of the lading through said hatches when the bunker is collapsed. Another object is to provide a bunker which carries its load of ice in the upper region of the car, where it has the greatest cooling effect. Another ob- 25 jectis to provide a bunker which can be easily and quickly changed from ice holding to collapsed position, and whose parts, in either position, are of suiiicient strength to withstand rough usage without requiring frequent repair.

Top. icing has recently come into extensive use in the shipment of certainproducts, especially fresh vegetables. Under this system, ice in cracked or small lump form is'scattered throughout the .load, and when loading is completed, additional cracked ice is placed in a layer on top of the load. This layer of top ice is ordinarily blown into the car through a hose by compressed air, the operator standing in the transverse center aisle and blowing the ice over the load all the way to the ends of the car. My invention is particularly useful in such service, because when the bunkers are collapsed, the entire interior of the car can be used for lading, and there are no obstructions depending from the ceiling to interfere with the blowing in of the top icing. The same car can be used for standard icing service with the ice in the bunkers at the ends of the car, and for either top icing service or unrefrigerated freight service with the bunkers collapsed and the full length of the car available for lading. All movable parts of the ice bunkers are attached and carried in the carat all times, so that the change from bunker service to full load service and vice versa can 55love made without special equipment and without.

In either of the two latter the bunker side plates in folded position.

. same.

laying the car up. Thus the car can be used for one class of,service on its outward trip and for another class of service on its return trip.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent by the 5 following description, which should be read with the understanding that changes, within the scope of the claims hereto appended, may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken onthe line l-l of Fig. 2, of the end portion of a refrigerator car showing my improved ice bunker in ice holding position.

Fig. 2 is a broken transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken transverse section taken on the line 33'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 5, showing the bunker in collapsed position. I

Fig. 5 is a broken transverse section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. -6 is a part sectional side elevation, en'- larged, of the locking means, shown in broken lines at the upper right of Fig. 2, for holding Fig. 7 is a part sectional end elevation of the Fig. 8 is aside elevation, enlarged, of one of the guide tracks from which the bulkhead is suspended.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the same, showing the mounting of the bulkhead thereon.

In the'drawings, the reference numeral ll designates the floor ofa refrigerator car, I2 is its end wall, 13 is oneofitsside walls, I4 is the outer roof, I5 is the inner roof or ceiling, I 6 is one of the hatches for loading ice into the bunker, and I1 is the floor rack or false floor on which the lading is carried. These parts are all common in the. art, and their particular construction is not material to the present inven-'' tion. i

My ice bunkers are positioned'at the ends, of the-car, and extend across its full width.'. Each bunker comprises an ice, supporting grate and four vertical walls, all except one of which are. movable to positions adjacent the floor, ceiling, and end wall of the car.

" The ice grate l8 is hinged at to. 55

when the bunker is collapsed, .as shown. in Fig. 4

The ice grate is preferably formed of a series -of parallel spaced inverted channel members, per

forated as shown, mounted upon longitudinal angle bar 2!, and for convenience in handling, is made in three sections as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. However, any suitable construction of said grate may be used.

The forward edge of the grate i8 is supported in horizontal position, Figs. 1 and 2, by a vertical bulkhead 22 which is hinged at 23 to brackets 2d secured to the floor ii. This bulkhead i's'preferably, but not necessarily, formed of perforated ply-wood supported by angle bars 25, and for convenience may be made in three sections, as shown in Fig. 2. The grate angle bars 2! are provided with notches, one of which is shown at 26 in Fig. 1, which interlock with studs 21 projecting from the angle bars 25 of the bulkhead sections 22, thereby holding the bulkhead sections vertical and the grate sections horizontal.

When the bunker is collapsed, the bulkhead sections 22 fold down upon the floor, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and form a continuation of the floor rack i! at the same level as said rack. The

' grate i8 folds down to vertical position and forms a lining for the end wall i2, keeping the lading away from said end wall to allow air to circulate around it. The notches 26 and studs 21 interlock again in this position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The walls of the ice bunker extend from the grate I8 upwardly to the ceiling of the car. The rear wall 28, Figs. 1 and 3, is formed as a. screen or other suitable member, and is mounted in fixed position adjacent the end wall I2 of the car by suitable vertical spacers, 29. The side walls 3 are preferably formed of metal plates, provided with ventilating louvers 3i, and reinforced by vertical channel members 32. The reinforcing channels at the edges of the plates 30 may be integral therewith, as shown. The plates 30 are hingedly hung from horizontal rods 33 secured to the side walls 53 by brackets 36.

Each plate 30 has a movable extension 35 at its lower end, said extension being formed of a. perforated metal plate having its upper edge bent back upon itself to make a loop 36, Figs. 1 and 3. A horizontal rod 31 extends through said loop andtlirough cars 38 secured to the reinforcing channels 32 of the plate 36,- and said channels are carried down below the lower edge of said plate 30 as shown at 32a.

When the bunker is in ice holding position, the side plate 30 hangs vertically as shown in Fig. 3, and is spaced from the side wall l3 by the channels 32. The extension 35 also, hangs vertically, andits lower edge fits into a. groove 39 formed along the edge of the grate. The hinge connection formed by the rod- 31, and the bearing of the extended lower ends 32:: of the channels 32 against the back of the extension 35, prevents the plate 30 from swinging outwardly into the bunker. However, when the extension is first lifted bodily enough to clear the groove 39 of the grate, it can. be swungup about the rod 31 to a vertical position against the plate 30, and said greases plate then can be swung up about its hingerod 33 to a. horizontal position beneath the ceiling of the car, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Locking means are provided for holding the side plates so in horizontal position beneath the ceiling. As an example of such locking means, I have shown,i n'Figs. 2, 6 and 7, a bracket Ed depending from the ceiling at the center of the car, and a pair of locking pins it extending through said bracket. Each pin has a short right angle bend $2 at its forward end and a longer return bend d3 at its rear end. The bracket 48 has spaced flanges it provided with slots is through which the pins ti extend. The ends 321; of the channels at the forward edges of the plates 30 rest upon said pins M, as shown in Fig. 7. To release said plates, the pins 41 are turned so that their ends d2 are in line with the slots 45 in the bracket, and are then withdrawn rearwardly to free the channel ends 3211.

The ceiling E5 of the car is raised a few inches above the ice bunker to form a recess 46, Figs. 1 and 4, so that the side plates 39, when raised to horizontal position, are housed within said recess, and do not project below the-level of the ceiling. A reinforcing bar 41' of reversed angle section. extends across the ceiling at the forward edge of the recess Mi.

The front or bulkhead wall. 63 of the bunker is suspended from tracks at the sides of the car, and slides rearwardly when the bunker is collapsed. The tracks t9, Figs; 1, 2, 8 and 9, one at each side. are secured to the side walls I3 near the ceiling, and are formed as channel's upon which rollers 50 may travel. The brackets 34, .in which the hinge rods 33 of the plates 36 are, mounted, are formed as ears extending upwardly from said tracks. a

The bulkhead wall 48 is preferably, but not necesarily, formed as a perforated metal plate, Figs. 1 and 2, stiffened by vertical channel bars 5|, 2. horizontal channel bar 52 across its top, and a horizontal angle bar 521; across its bottom. It extends down almost to the level of the ice grate iii. A solid woodenpad 53 is fastened to the front faces of the channel bars 5| the upper edge of said pad being spaced below the ceiling. A section of screen 54 may extend from the top of said pad upwardly to the top of the bulkhead. The rollers 50 are mounted on the side channel bars 5!.

The bulkhead 48 is held in forward position at the top by swinging brackets 55, Figs. 1, 2 and 4, which hang down from pivots 56 secured to the ceiling reinforcing bar 41. The lower ends of said brackets 55 are forked to fit over the channel bar Et at the top of theibifikheadand have bolts 51 which pass through said channel bar. Thebottom of the bulkhead 48 is held from swinging forwardly by overlapping behind the channel bars 25 of the lower bulkhead 22, as shown at 58 in Fig. 1, and is prevented from moving rearwardly by swinging latches59. Figs. 1 and 5, which drop through slots in the angle bar 52a and engage the edge of the front bar of the grate I8.

When the bunker, is in ice holding position, as shown in Fig. 1, the pad 53 of the upper bulkhead section is in vertical alignment with the lower bulkhead section 22, so that the two sections form a continuous bulkhead across the end 70.

of the lading compartment of the car. Said bulkhead is rigidly secured to resist end thrust of the lading by the swing brackets 55 at the top, by the hinges 23 at the bottom, and by being braced to the end wall of the car by the grate bars 21" at the center where the two sections meet. Free movement of air from the upper portion of the lading compartment to the ice bunker is permitted by the screened open space above the bulkhead pad 53 and said air passes downwardly through the bunker and the grate I8, and throughthe spacesbetween the lining members 28 and and the walls of the car, into the open space beneath-said grate, from which it returns to the lower portion of the lading compartment through the perforated lower bulkhead 22 and beneath the same into the space below the floor rack I I. V

To collapse the ice bunker, the bolts 51 connecting the top of the upper bulkhead 48 with its locking brackets 55 are, first removed. The

extensions 35 of the side plates 30 are lifted and swung up against said plates, and said plates are then swung up to their horiz'ontal positions within the ceiling recess 46 and locked by the pins II. Next the latches 59 at the bottom of the upper bulkhead 48 are disengaged from the grate I8, the swinging brackets 55 are disengaged from the top of said bulkhead, and said bulkhead is shifted bodily toward the end wall, rolling on its suspending tracks 49. In this position, the top of the upper bulkhead 48 supports the rear edges of the horizontal side plates 30, as shown in Fig. 4. After said upper bulkhead has, been moved back, the grate sections I8 are lifted enough to disengage the lower bulkhead sections 22, which are then dropped to horizontal position on the floor. Finally the grate sections I8 are swung down to vertical positions adjacent the end, wall.

It will be seen from Fig. 4 that when the ice bunker is collapsed, the upper bulkhead 48 and the grate I8 are in vertical alignment adjacent the end wall of the car, and provide a lining to keep the lading spaced from said end wall to permit air circulation. It will also be seen that the floor rack I1 is extended by the folded lower bulkhead 22, so that the false or lading floor is continuous and level to the end of the car. From Figs. 4 and 5, moreover, it will be seen that, when the bunker is collapsed; there are no projections from the side walls of the car except the tracks 49, which are near the ceiling and therefore do not interfere with the lading; that there are no parts hanging below the levelof the ceiling I5 except the swinging brackets 55, which are so small that they do not interfere in anyway with either the lading or the top icing thereof; and that the hatches I6 are effectively screened by the louvered side plates 30. so that there can be no pilfering of the car throughsaid hatches, and so that said hatches can be left open for ventilation if desired. It is to be noted, furthermore, that all parts of the bunker are in use and are attached to the car in both positions, so that none of said parts can be misplaced or lost.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker at one end, a transverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from the remainder of the car, said bulkhead having an upper section movable to a position parallel with and, adjacent to the end wall of the car and a lower section movable to a substantially horizontal position adjacent the floor, and an ice supporting grate in said bunker, said grate being movable to a position adjacent said end wall in vertical alignment with the moved upper bulkhead section.

2. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker at one end, a lading compaztment, and a false floor in said lading compartment raised above the main floor, a transverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from said lading compartment, said bulkhead having a lower section movable to 'a' position in horizontal alignment with-said false floor, an ice supporting grate in said bunker, one edge of said grate being supported by said lower bulkhead section when the latter is in bulkhead forming position, and said grate beingmovable to a substantially vertical position adjacent the end wall of the car at the end of said lower bulkhead section when the latter is in horizontal position.

3. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker at one end, a lading compartment, and a false floor in said lading compartment raised above the main floor, atransverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from said lading compartment, said bulkhead having an upper section movable to a position parallel with and adjacent the end wall of the car and a lower section movable to a position in horizontal alignment with said false floor, and an ice supporting grate in said bunker movable to a position adjacent said end wall in vertical alignment with the moved upper bulkhead section.

4. In a refrigerator car having a collapsible ice bunker at one end, a transverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from the remainder of the car, the bottom of said bulkhead being spaced from the floor of the car and said bulkhead being movable to a vertical position in adjacent spaced relation with the end wall of the car, and an ice supporting grate in said bunker, said grate being movable to a vertical position in adjacent spaced relation with said end wallbetween the bottom of the moved bulkhead and the floor of the car,

said bulkhead and said grate when in said moved positions forming a lining adjacent said end wall and spaced therefrom to. permit 'air circulation.

5. In a' refrigerator car having an ice bunker at one end, a lading compartment, and a false floor in said lading compartment raised above the main floor-to provide an air space beneath the lading, a transverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from said lading compartment, said bulkhead being movable to a horizontal posiiton spaced above the floor at the end of said false floor to form a continuation of said false floor extending to the end of the car, and to provide a continuation of said air space beneath the lading on said false floor.

6. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker at one end, a transverse bulkhead separating said ice bunker from the remainder of the car, said bulkhead being divided into upper and lower sections, both of said sections being movable \away from their bulkhead forming positions, a movable ice supporting grate having one edge connected with the end of the car and its other edge connected with and supported by said lower bulkhead section, and means for separably securin g 8. In a refrigerator car having side walls and a roof with ice hatches therein, a collapsible ice bunker in the car beneath said hatches, lining members forming the sides of said bunker parallel with and adjacent the side walls of the car,

said lining members being movable away from said side walls to substantially horizontal positions beneath said hatches to form pilfer-proof closures therefor when the bunker is collapsed, and said side walls being free from projections when said lining members are moved away therefrom.

9. In a refrigerator car having walls and a roof with an ice hatch therein, lining members spaced from said walls and forming portions of a collapsible ice bunker beneath said hatch, said lining members having air apertures therein and the spaces between said lining members and said walls forming channels for the circulation of air around said bunker, and one of said lining members being movable to a substantially horizontal position below said hatch to form a ventilating pilfer-proof closure therefor when the ice bunker is collapsed.

10. In a refrigerator car having walls and a roof with an ice hatch therein, a collapsible ice bunker within the car beneath said hatch'comprising a movable bulkhead extending across the car and lining members adjacent the end and' side walls of the car, one of said lining members being movable to a substantially horizontal position beneath said hatch to form a closure therefor, and said bulkhead being movable to a position beneath said horizontal hatch closing member to lock it in said horizontal position.

11. In a refrigerator car having walls and a roof with an ice hatch therein, a collapsible ice bunker within the car beneath said hatch comprising a movable bulkhead extending across the car and lining members adjacent the end and side walls of the car, the lining members adjacent the side walls being hingedly mounted to swing upwardly to horizontal positions beneath said hatch to form a pilfer-proof closure therefor, and locking means for holding said members in said horizontal position, said locking means being inaccessible from outside the car through said hatch when the ice bunker is collapsed.

12. In a refrigerator car having walls, a roof with an ice hatch therein, and an ice bunker beneath said hatch, an ice grate in said bunker, a

lining member for one wall of said bunker, said member being hingedly mounted at its upper end to swing upwardly to substantially horizontal position beneath said hatch, an extension movably secured to the lower end of said member, the bottom of said extension normally engaging one edge of said grate to prevent swinging movement of said member, and said extension being freed from engagement with said grate by its movement relative to said member.

13. A collapsible ice bunker comprising an ice supporting grate and substantially vertical wall members, one of said wall members being hingedly mounted at its upper end to swing upwardly, an extension hingedly connected with the lower end of said member, the last mentioned hinge connection permitting vertical movement of said extension relative to said member, the bottom of said extension normally engaging one edge of said grate to prevent swinging movement of said member, and said extension being freed from engagement with said grate by its movement relative to said member.

14. In a refrigerator car having a ceiling, said ceiling having a raised portion forming a recess adjacent one end of the car, movable members forming a collapsible ice bunker in the end of the car beneath said recess, some of said members being movable to horizontal positions within said recess when said bunker is collapsed, whereby the full interior height of the car is maintained throughout its length when the ice bunker is collapsed.

15. In a refrigerator car having a collapsible ice bunker at one end. an ice supporting grate in said bunker, said grate being hinged to a wall of the car to swing downwardly to a vertical posl tion against said wall, a vertical bulkhead section resting upon the floor of the car and extending upwardly to and terminating at said grate, the free edge of said grate being supported by said bulkhead section, and said bulkhead section being movable to a horizontal position upon the floor of the car.

GUSTAV P. TORBURN. 

